Insert for cooling bed plate transfer grid

ABSTRACT

An insert for use with a cooling bed plate transfer grid including a plurality of longitudinal side grid members and a plurality of transverse cross grid members extending between the side grid members and coacting therewith to define a plurality of grid pockets, each sized to removably receive an insert. The insert includes a housing sized to fit in the pocket and including front and rear end flange portions adapted to seat on successive cross members. The housing is fixedly secured to the successive cross members by J bolts which extend downwardly and beneath the respective cross members for clamping engagement with the respective cross members. The housing further defines a central slot in which a roller is mounted. The roller is mounted on the central journal portion of a pin and the pin further includes rectangular end portions slidably received in vertical slots defined by the housing at opposite sides of the roller. A pair of adjustment screws threadably engage the end portions of the pin and engage the bottom walls of the side slots so that joint rotation of the screws raises and lowers the roller in a translatory manner and differential rotation of the screws selectively tilts the axis of rotation of the roller.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to transfer grids for metal plates.

When initially formed in a plate mill, metal plates are very hot andmust be suitably cooled before further processing. A cooling bed istypically provided over which the plates are slid by the use of chainsemploying pusher dogs. The bed is constructed to allow plentiful aircirculation to the plates for cooling as they traverse the length of thebed.

The cooling bed is typically composed of a plurality of transfer gridswith each grid cast as a single piece. Each grid may typically comprisea plurality of parallel longitudinal grid members extending in thedirection of travel of the plates and a plurality of transverse crossgrid members extending between the longitudinal grid members. Thelongitudinal grid members project above the cross members so that thesupport surface for the plates as the plates move over the grid isdefined by the longitudinal grid members.

The movement of the metal plates over the grid surfaces generatessignificant wear on the grid surfaces requiring relatively frequentreplacement of the grids at considerable expense. In addition, theundersurfaces of the plates may be marred as they are conveyed along thegrid members.

Various attempts have been made to modify the transfer grids to minimizegrid wear and to minimize marring of the plates as they are transferredover the grid. For example, it has been proposed to provide insertswhich are removably positioned, in retrofit manner, in the pocketsdefined between the longitudinal and transverse grid members with eachinsert, when positioned in a pocket in the grid, presenting a rollerprojecting above the surface of the longitudinal grid members so thatthe plates move along a plate pass plane defined by the upper surfacesof the rollers, whereby to minimize marring to the undersurfaces of theplates and eliminate wear on the transfer grid.

Whereas these inserts have proven to be helpful in reducing grid wearand minimizing marring of the plates, the available inserts have acomplex construction, and hence a rather high cost; employ an adjustingarrangement for the insert roller that makes it difficult to positionthe roller at the precise desired height and/or to position thecircumferential surface of the roller at a level disposition withrespect to the grid surface; and require complete removal of the insertfrom the grid in order to allow replacement of the roller.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to the provision of an improved insert for acooling bed plate transfer grid.

More specifically, this invention is directed to the provision of aninsert for a cooling bed plate transfer grid that is simple andinexpensive in construction; that allow ready and precise adjustment ofthe roller to achieve the desired precise roller height and to achieve alevel disposition of the circumferential surface of the roller relativeto the grid surface; and that allows removal of the insert roller forrepair or replacement without removal of the insert.

The invention insert is intended for use with a generally horizontalcooling bed transfer plate grid including a plurality of longitudinalside grid members and a plurality of transverse cross grid membersextending between the side grid members and coacting therewith to definea plurality of grid pockets, each sized to removably receive an insert.

According to the invention, each insert includes a housing; means forfixedly but removably positioning the housing in a respective pocket; aroller; and means mounting the roller on the housing for rotation abouta transverse axis and operative to selectively adjust the position ofthe roller relative to the housing. This specific arrangement allowsindividual adjustment of the roller relative to the insert housing so asto facilitate the precise positioning of the roller.

According to a further feature of the invention, the mounting means forthe roller includes means for selectively moving the roller verticallyrelative to the housing. This arrangement allows the roller to beselectively adjusted relative to the housing to selectively adjust thedistance between the top of the roller and the upper grid surface so asto easily and readily move the top of the roller into alignment with theplate pass plane.

According to a further feature of the invention, the mounting meansincludes means for selectively angularly moving the transverse axis ofthe roller. With this arrangement, the circumferential surface of theroller may be maintained parallel to the upper grid surface so as toenable the roller to present a maximum circumferential surface area tothe undersurface of the plate and minimize marring of the plate.

According to a further feature of the invention, the mounting meansincludes a pair of vertically extending slots defined by the housing andpositioned on opposite sides of the roller and a pin having a centraljournal portion mounting the roller and opposite end portionsrespectively slidably disposed in the slots. With this arrangement,joint sliding movement of the pin end portions in the slotstranslatorily adjusts the vertical position of the roller relative tothe housing and differential sliding movement of the pin end portions inthe slots angularly adjusts the transverse axis of the roller relativeto the housing to facilitate leveling of the circumferential surface ofthe roller with respect to the plate pass plane.

According to a further feature of the invention, each slot is bounded bya bottom wall and the mounting means further includes a pair ofvertically extending screws threadably engaging the respective endportions of the pin and engaging the respective bottom walls at thelower ends of the screws. With this arrangement, the pin, and therebythe roller, may be moved translatorily or angularly in the housing byjoint or differential turning of the screws.

According to a further feature of the invention, each slot has an opentop. With this arrangement, the pin and roller assembly may be mountedin the housing simply by lowering the pin end portions into therespective slots, the roller may be vertically adjusted relative to thehousing by joint rotation of the screws, the roller axis may beangularly adjusted relative to the housing by differential rotation ofthe screws, and the pin and roller assembly may be removed from thehousing for repair or replacement simply by raising the pin end portionsupwardly out of the slots.

According to a further feature of the invention, the housing includesfront and rear flange portions adapted to be respectively seated onsuccessive grid cross members and a central main body portion sized tofit in the pocket between the adjacent cross members; the roller ismounted on the central main body portion of the housing; and each insertfurther includes a clamp member mounted on each flange portion of thehousing and including a vertical bolt shank having a threaded upper endextending through an opening in the respective flange portion and a nutpositioned above each flange portion, threadably engaging the threadedupper end of the respective bolt shank, and operative in response tothreaded coaction between the nut and bolt shank to move the clampmember into clamping engagement with an undersurface of the respectivegrid cross member to clamp the respective grid cross member between therespective clamp member and the respective housing flange portion. Thisarrangement allows the insert to be readily moved into and out ofclamping relation with respect to the grid cross members to therebyfacilitate insertion and removal of the inserts in the grid pockets.

According to a further feature of the invention, each clamp membercomprises a J bolt including a vertical stem portion, constituting thevertical bolt shank of the clamp member, and a lower horizontal clampportion extending laterally from the lower end of the stem portion andoperative to clampingly engage the undersurface of the respective crossmember in response to tightening of the respective nut. This specificarrangement allows an inexpensive readily available hardware item to beutilized to provide rapid and efficient clamping of the insert withinthe pocket of the transfer grid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a transfer grid showing the invention insertspositioned therein and showing a plate passing thereover;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an insert according to theinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of the mountingof the invention insert in the transfer grid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 in association with a transfergrid 10 utilized to remove hot metal plates 12 from a plate mill to afurther processing location and operative to expose the hot plate to acooling medium as the plate moves across the transfer grid.

The transfer grid 10 is cast and includes a plurality of parallellongitudinal side grid members 10a of rectangular cross-section, and aplurality of transverse cross grid members 10b of trapezoidalcross-section extending between the side grid members 10a and coactingtherewith to define a plurality of grid pockets 14 with each pocket 14bounded on each side by a pair of parallel longitudinal grid members 10aand bounded front and rear by successive transverse cross grid members10b. The top surfaces 10c of the side grid members are positioned abovethe top surfaces 10d of the transverse grid members so that, in theabsence of inserts in accordance with the invention, the plates 12 aremoved (as, for example, by chains employing pusher dogs) along atransfer surface defined by the top surfaces 10c of the side gridmembers 10a.

According to the invention, and in order to minimize grid wear andminimize marring to the undersurface 12a of the plates 12, an insert 16is removably positioned in selected pockets 14 with the number andpositioning of the inserts being determined by the size of the plates 12and the weight of the plates 12 with the criteria that the plates besupported at all times by the rollers provided by the inserts and thatthere be sufficient inserts to adequately support the weight of theplates at all times.

Each insert 16 includes a housing 18, a pair of J bolts 20, a pair oflock nuts 22, a pin 24, a roller 26, and a pair of adjusting screws 28.

Whereas the materials of the parts are not critical, the housing 18 androller 26 may be formed of cast ductile iron and the J bolts 20 and pin24 may be formed of stainless steel.

Housing 18 includes front and rear end flange portions 18a, 18b and acentral main body portion 18c. Housing 18 is sized to fit in a pocket 14with rear flange portion 18b seated on the top surface 10d of a crossmember 10b, front flange portion 18a seated on the top surface 10d of asuccessive cross member 10, and main body portion 18c positioned withinthe pocket. As best seen in FIG. 4, housing 16 has a width slightly lessthan the distance between adjacent side rails 10a so that housing fitsreadily but snugly between an adjacent pair of side rails with the endflange portions positioned on top of successive cross members and thecentral main body portion extending downwardly into the pocket.

Main body housing portion 18c includes angled end walls 18d and spacedside walls 18e defining a vertically extending through slot 30therebetween. The upper surfaces 18f of the side walls 18h have a Vconfiguration and each side wall defines a central vertically extendingslot 18g. Each slot 18g has an open top and is bounded by vertical sidewalls 18h and a bottom wall 18i.

J bolts 20 are commercially available items and, in known manner,include a vertically extending stem portion 20a terminating in an upperthreaded end portion 20b and a horizontal clamp or hook portion 20cextending laterally from the lower end of stem portion 20a andterminating in an upturned hook end 20d. The upper threaded end portion20b of each J bolt is sized to fit in a slot 18j formed in a respectivehousing flange portion 18a, 18b.

Lock nuts 22 are of known hexagonal form and are adapted for threadedcoaction with the upper threaded ends 20b of the J bolts.

Pin 24 includes a central journal portion 24a of circularcross-sectional configuration and opposite end portions 24b of squarecross-sectional configuration. End portions 24b have a width slightlyless than the width of slots 18g so that the end portions may be readilymoved into and out of the slots 18g but are firmly positioned and guidedin the slots. Each end portion 24b further includes a threaded verticalthrough bore 24c.

Each screw 28 is sized for threaded coaction with a respective throughbore 24c in a pin end portion 24b and includes a hex socket head 28a, athreaded main body shank portion 28b, and a foot portion 28c universallymounted with respect to the shank portion 28b so as to be able to seekits own angular position irrespective of the angular position of theshank portion 28b.

Roller 26 is sized to fit in the through slot 30 defined between thehousing side plates 18e and includes a central journal aperture 26asized to be journaled on pin central journal portion 24a so as to mountthe roller 26 for rotation on the pin about a central transverse axis32.

In the assembled relation of the insert 16, roller 26 is journaled onpin central journal portion 24a; pin 24 is positioned in the housing 18with pin end portions slidably received in respective slots 18g and withthe roller positioned in slot 30; and screws 28 are threadably receivedin through bores 24c with the universal screw foot portions 28c seatedflatly on the bottom walls 18i of the respective slots. In thisassembled configuration the insert may be readily installed in a gridpocket 14 and may be readily removed from the pocket.

To install an insert in a pocket 14, the insert is lowered into thepocket to seat front and rear housing flange portions 18a, 18b on therespective successive cross grid members forming the forward andrearward bounds of the pocket; the J bolts 20 are moved upwardly toposition hook portion 20c under and proximate the undersurfaces 10e ofthe respective cross-grids 10b and pass the upper threaded ends 20b ofthe bolts upwardly through the respective slots 18j; and lock nuts 22are threadably engaged with the upper threaded ends of the bolts andturned in a tightening direction to pull the bolts upwardly and move thebolt clamp portions 20c into clamping engagement with grid undersurfaces10e, whereby to clamp the respective cross members between a housing endflange portion 18a, 18b and a J hook clamp portion 20c and fixedlyposition the insert in the grid pocket.

In order to adjust the insert so as to properly and precisely positionroller 26 relative to the transfer grid, screws 28 are selectivelyadjusted (utilizing a suitable tool inserted in the hex head of thescrews) to selectively move pin end portions 20b upwardly and downwardlyin their respective slots 18g. Specifically, in order to translatorilyadjust the roller to a position in which the top 26b of the roller lieson the plate pass plane 34 of the transfer grid, the screws 28 areturned jointly and by equal amounts to raise or lower the roller toposition the top 26b of the roller precisely on the plate pass plane 34.Further, in order to move the circumferential surface 26c of the rollerinto a position in which it is precisely level with or parallel to theplate pass plane 34, screws 28 are moved differentially in order toselectively tilt the rotational axis 32 of the roller and selectivelybring the circumferential surface 26c of the roller into preciseparallel relationship with the plate pass plane.

Thus, by ready and straightforward joint and selective turning of thescrews 28, the top of the roller 26 may be moved into precise alignmentwith the height of the plate pass plane and the circumferential surface26c of the roller may be moved into precise parallelism with respect tothe plate pass plane. It will be understood that positioning of the topof each roller precisely at the height of the plate pass plane isimportant to the efficient movement of the plates over the transfer gridand the precise positioning of the circumferential surface 26c of theroller parallel to the plate pass plane ensures that the entirecircumferential surface of each roller will engage the undersurface 12aof the plate so as to distribute the load of the plate uniformly overthe roller and so as to avoid scouring of the undersurface of the plateresulting from one or the other circumferential edges of the rollerdigging into the plate. In order to remove the insert from the pocket 14it is only necessary to loosen the nuts 22 to free the J bolts and liftthe insert out of the pocket. In order to remove only the roller and pinassembly it is simply necessary to pull upwardly on the roller and pinassembly to move the pin end portions 24b upwardly out of the slots 18g.

The invention transfer grid insert will be seen to have many importantadvantages. Specifically, the simple construction of the insert allowsthe insert to be manufactured at a minimal cost so that the cost of theinsert is more than compensated for by the savings in repair of the gridsurface and the further savings realized by the avoidance of scouring ofthe undersurface of the plates; the invention insert allows the rollerto be readily moved into a precise height corresponding to the platepass plane and to be readily moved angularly into a precision positionin which the circumferential surface of the roller is precisely parallelwith the plate pass plane; the invention insert allows the roller to beremoved for repair or replacement without requiring removal of theinsert from the pocket; the invention insert may be quickly and readilyfixedly secured to the cross members of the transfer grid by a simpletightening movement of a pair of nuts; and the simple mountingarrangement of the invention insert allows the insert to be quickly andreadily mounted to cross members of the type including a lower flangeportion as well as to cross members (as illustrated) without the lowerflange portion.

Whereas a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed in detail, it will be apparent that various changes may bemade in the disclosed embodiment without departing from the scope orspirit of the invention.

We claim:
 1. An insert for use with a generally horizontal cooling bedplate transfer grid including a plurality of longitudinal side gridmembers and a plurality of transverse cross grid members extendingbetween the side grid members and coacting therewith to define aplurality of grid pockets each sized to removably receive an insert,wherein the insert includes:a housing defining a central upwardlyopening roller slot and a pair of vertically extending upwardly openingguide slots at opposite sides of said central roller slot; means forremovably positioning the housing in a respective pocket; a roller sizedto be received in the central roller slot; and a pin having a centralportion rotatably mounting the roller in the roller slot and oppositeend portions respectively slidably disposed in said guide slots so thatthe pin and roller assembly may be mounted in the housing simply bylowering the pin end portions into the respective upwardly opening guideslots while lowering the roller into the upwardly opening central slot.2. An insert according to claim 1 wherein:the insert further includesmeans for selectively moving the end portions vertically in the slotswhereby to selectively adjust the distance between the top of the rollerand the upper grid surface.
 3. An insert for use with a generallyhorizontal cooling bed plate transfer grid including a plurality oflongitudinal side grid members and a plurality of transverse cross gridmembers extending between the side grid members and coacting therewithto define a plurality of grid pockets each sized to removably receive aninsert, wherein the insert includes:a housing; means for fixedly butremovably positioning the housing in a respective pocket; a roller; andmeans mounting the roller on the housing for rotation about a transverseaxis and operative to selectively adjust the position of the rollerrelative to the housing, the mounting means including means forselectively angularly moving the transverse axis of the roller wherebyto maintain the circumferential surface of the roller parallel to theupper grid surface.
 4. An insert for use with a generally horizontalcooling bed plate transfer grid including a plurality of longitudinalside grid members and a plurality of transverse cross grid membersextending between the side grid members and coacting therewith to definea plurality of grid pockets each sized to removably receive an insert,wherein the insert includes:a housing having front and rear flangeportions adapted to be respectively seated on successive cross membersand a central main body portion sized to fit in the pocket between thesuccessive cross members; a roller; means mounting the roller on themain body portion of the housing; a clamp member mounted on each flangeportion and including a vertical bolt shank having a threaded upper endextending through an opening in the respective flange portions; and alock nut positioned above each flange portion, threadably engaging thethreaded upper end of a respective bolt shank, and operative in responseto threaded coaction between the nut and bolt shank to move the clampmember into clamping engagement with an undersurface of the respectivecross member to clamp the respective cross member between the respectiveclamp member and the respective housing flange portion; the mountingmeans mounting the roller on the housing for rotation about a transverseaxis and including means for selectively angularly moving the transverseaxis of the roller whereby to maintain the circumferential surface ofthe roller parallel to the grid surface.
 5. An insert according to claim3 wherein;the moving means further includes means for selectively movingthe roller vertically relative to the housing whereby to selectivelyadjust the distance between the top of the roller and the upper gridsurface.
 6. An insert according to claim 5 wherein the mounting meansincludes:a pair of vertically extending slots defined by said housingand positioned on opposite sides of the roller; and a pin having acentral portion mounting the roller and opposite end portionsrespectively slidably disposed in said slots, whereby joint slidablemovement of said end portions in said slots translatorily adjusts thevertical position of the roller relative to the housing and differentialmovement of said end portions in said slots angularly adjusts thetransverse axis of the roller relative to the housing.
 7. An insertaccording to claim 6 wherein;each slot is bounded by a bottom wall; andthe mounting means further includes a pair of vertically extendingscrews threadably engaging the respective end portions of the pin andengaging the respective bottom walls at the lower ends of the screws. 8.An insert according to claim 7 wherein;each slot has an open top so thatthe pin and roller assembly may be mounted in the housing simply bylowering the pin end portions into the respective slots, the roller maybe vertically adjusted relative to the housing by joint rotation of thescrews, the roller axis may be angularly adjusted relative to thehousing by differential rotation of the screws, and the pin and rollerassembly may be removed from the housing for repair or replacementsimply by raising the pin end portions upwardly out of the slots.
 9. Aninsert for use with a generally horizontal cooling bed plate transfergrid including a plurality of longitudinal side grid members and aplurality of transverse cross grid members extending between the sidegrid members and coacting therewith to define a plurality of gridpockets each sized to removably receive an insert, wherein the insertincludes:a housing having front and rear flange portions adapted to berespectively seated on successive cross members and a central main bodyportion sized to fit in the pocket between the successive cross members;a roller; means mounting the roller on the main body portion of thehousing; and a clamp assembly mounted on each flange portion, each clampassembly including a J-bolt and a lock nut, each J-bolt including avertical bolt shank having a threaded upper end extending through anopening in the respective flange portion and a lower horizontal clampportion extending laterally from the lower end of the bolt shank, eachlock nut positioned above the respective flange portion, threadablyengaging the threaded upper end of a respective J-bolt shank, andoperative in response to threaded coaction between the nut and boltshank to move the lower horizontal clamp portion of the respectiveJ-bolt into clamping engagement with an undersurface of the respectivecross member to clamp the respective cross member between the respectivehorizontal clamp portion and the respective housing flange portion. 10.An insert according to claim 9 wherein:the mounting means mounts theroller on the housing for rotation about a transverse axis and isoperative to selectively adjust the position of the roller relative tothe housing.
 11. An insert according to claim 10 wherein:the mountingmeans includes means for selectively moving the roller verticallyrelative to the housing whereby to selectively adjust the distancebetween the top of the roller and the upper grid surface.
 12. An insertaccording to claim 4 wherein:the mounting means further includes meansfor selectively moving the roller vertically relative to the housingwhereby to selectively adjust the distance between the top of the rollerand the upper grid surface.
 13. An insert according to claim 12 whereinthe mounting means includes:a pair of vertically extending slots definedby said housing and positioned on opposite sides of the roller; and apin having a central journal portion mounting the roller and oppositeend portions respectively slidably disposed in said slots, whereby jointslidable movement of said end portions in said slots translatorilyadjust the vertical position of the roller relative to the housing anddifferential movement of said end portions in said slots angularlyadjusts the transverse axis of the roller relative to the housing. 14.An insert according to claim 13 wherein:each slot is bounded by a bottomwall; and the mounting means further includes a pair of verticallyextending screws threadably engaging the respective end portions of thepin and engaging the respective bottom walls at the lower ends of thescrews.
 15. An insert according to claim 14 wherein:each slot has anopen top so that the pin and roller assembly may be mounted in thehousing simply by lowering the pin end portions into the respectiveslots, the roller may be vertically adjusted relative to the housing byjoint rotation of the screws, the roller axis may be angularly adjustedrelative to the housing by differential rotation of the screws, and thepin and roller assembly may be removed from the housing for repair orreplacement simply by raising the pin end portions upwardly out of theslots.